Chapter 137

As expected, **Alexander** arrived at the nightclub late into the night. **Ariana** had secured a VIP booth close to his and patiently waited. She thought he would come alone, but to her surprise, **Richard** and **Ethan** joined him ten minutes later.

Since the private rooms were soundproof, she had no way of overhearing their conversation. Determined to know what they were discussing, she bribed the server who was bringing drinks to their table to eavesdrop for her. After about ten minutes, the server returned with the details of their conversation.

“So, they’re still supporting **Lily**, huh?” **Ariana** muttered with a scoff.

**Ariana** remained there for two hours until **Richard** left, leaving only **Ethan**. She knew **Ethan** would likely try to convince **Alexander** to go home, but she was sure **Alexander** would refuse, and once **Ethan** gave up, it would be her chance to act. With **Alexander's** bodyguards stationed all over the club, he didn’t need further protection.

Just as she had predicted, **Ethan** left after failing to persuade **Alexander**, and now her moment had arrived. She waited for another twenty minutes before sneaking into **Alexander’s** private room, managing to slip past the guards unnoticed. A smirk spread across her face as she saw that **Alexander** was already heavily intoxicated, the numerous empty bottles on the table confirming it.

She approached him and sat down. **Alexander** turned to her, his expression confused. “Who are you, and what are you doing here?” he asked with a frown.

“**Alexander**, I saw the news, and I’m so sorry you’re going through this. I’m here as a friend, to offer you some comfort. It’s understandable that you’re upset—no one would be fine after being betrayed by someone they love.”

**Alexander** said nothing.

**Ariana** moved closer and reached for his hand, but he pulled away. “Leave.”

“I just wanted to—”

“You’re not wanted here,” **Alexander** said coldly, dismissing her like any other woman seeking attention in the club.

“I can just sit quietly if that’s what you prefer,” she offered.

When he didn’t respond, **Ariana** sat at a distance and watched as **Alexander** continued drinking. She planned to stay until the right moment presented itself.

Once he had consumed enough alcohol to nearly pass out, she leaned in closer, cupping his face in her hands. **Alexander** looked at her, trying to focus, but his vision was blurred. He blinked and squinted, and when he finally made out the face, he smiled faintly.

**Ariana** was shocked by the smile, knowing full well that **Alexander** would never smile at her. But then he whispered a name that made everything clear.

“**Lily**,” he murmured.

**Ariana’s** heart sank. Even in his drunken state, **Alexander** was thinking of **Lily**, imagining her instead of **Ariana**. But she was determined to use the opportunity to her advantage.

She leaned in and kissed him. **Alexander** didn’t resist, believing she was **Lily**. He even kissed her back.

“I’ve missed you so much. Please come back home,” he said as he hugged her.

Hearing those words, **Ariana** felt like screaming. She wanted to tell him it was her, not **Lily**, but she couldn’t.

“I cheated on you,” she whispered.

**Alexander** pulled back and squinted at her again. Though her face was still a blur, her words seemed to hit him. “Yes, you did,” he mumbled before pushing her away and standing up to leave.

He staggered toward the door and knocked for the guards to let him out. **Ariana** quickly hid behind the couch.

“Tie her up and bring her with us,” **Alexander** commanded, pointing toward where he had just been sitting.

The guards looked around, confused. “Sir, who are you talking about?”

“My wife—she’s right there,” **Alexander** insisted, pointing again. But the guards saw no one and had no recollection of anyone entering after **Ethan** left.

“Sir, I think it’s the alcohol. You’re imagining things. No one has come in since Mr. **Ethan** left,” one of the guards explained.

Though **Alexander** could see that no one was there, he was convinced he had just kissed his wife and that she had confessed to cheating. He had planned to take her home and lock her away so he could punish her for her betrayal, but now, she had vanished. Had she disappeared?

Seeing **Alexander** lost in thought, the bodyguards gently reminded him of the time. “Sir, it’s already 2 AM. We should head home.”

**Alexander** mumbled in agreement, and his bodyguards helped him out of the club.

Once she was sure they had left, **Ariana** slipped out from her hiding spot and exited the private room. Her plan hadn’t gone as expected. It seemed she would need to take a slower, more calculated approach with **Alexander**. But first, she needed to eliminate **Lily** from the picture.

**Alexander** woke up the next morning, still in his work clothes, with a splitting headache from the night before. He dragged himself to the shower, letting the water wash away the stench of alcohol. As his mind cleared, the events of the previous night came back to him. He realized the woman he kissed couldn’t have been **Lily**—she didn’t smell like her. But why had the woman acted like **Lily**, even going so far as to admit to infidelity? The voice had sounded familiar, but he couldn’t place it.

**Lily’s** supposed betrayal still felt like a nightmare, something he desperately needed to wake up from. He didn’t want to develop hatred for her, but he also couldn’t ignore the reality. He had to confirm that what had happened wasn’t just a bad dream.

After getting dressed, **Alexander** grabbed his phone. He needed to check the news again to verify if everything was as it seemed. Ignoring the barrage of missed calls and messages, he searched for the latest headlines. As expected, the morning news was still dominated by reports of **Lily’s** alleged affair.

“So, it’s true,” **Alexander** muttered to himself, realizing this wasn’t a nightmare after all.

Reluctantly, he forced himself to look at the photos again, needing to be absolutely certain. As much as he wanted to throw his phone in anger, he knew he had to examine them carefully. **Lily** had denied cheating when he called her yesterday, and he knew her body well enough—her shape, her birthmarks, her scars. If he could identify something in the photos that didn’t align, he could prove her innocence.

Taking a closer look at the pictures, particularly those showing a bare back, **Alexander’s** anger slowly dissipated. Upon closer inspection, he realized the images were doctored. In other people’s eyes, the photos would seem genuine, but now that he was paying attention, he noticed the absence of a scar **Lily** had on her lower back. The body didn’t even quite match hers.

**Alexander** slumped in his chair with a deep sigh. He had made a huge mistake by accusing his wife without verifying the facts. How could he make this right? He had been a terrible husband for doubting her.

Determined to fix things, **Alexander** showered, dressed, and headed out. He was going to the **Blake** estate to set things straight.

On the way, he got stuck in traffic in one of the city’s busy areas. His attention was drawn to the breaking news being broadcast on a giant screen. His hands fell from the steering wheel, and his face went pale. “No,” he whispered, shaking his head in disbelief. “This can’t be true.”

His phone rang just then. It was **Ethan**.

“**Alexander**, where are you?” **Ethan** asked, sounding panicked.

“It’s not her in that car. It can’t be,” **Alexander** said, his voice trembling. Although the car involved in the crash was registered to the **Blake** family, he refused to believe **Lily** was inside.

**Ethan** froze on the other end. “You’ve seen the news?”

“I won’t believe it,” **Alexander** insisted.

“We need to verify it first,” **Ethan** said, trying to calm him. “I’ll send you the location. Just stay composed.”

**Alexander** couldn’t process it. Not another accident. This one seemed even worse—the car had caught fire.

Staring at the burning vehicle on the screen, tears streamed down **Alexander’s** face. “Please don’t be in there,” he whispered. “I can’t live without you.”**